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About Trinity River
 At 6,000 acres, the Great Trinity Forest is the largest urban hardwood forest in the United States. The Great Trinity Forest supports a diverse community of plant and animal species and contains a unique mixture of bottomland hardwoods, aquatic and wetland systems and grasslands. The Trinity River Audubon Center, opened October 2008, and serves as the gateway to explore these amazing resources.
The actual building site, near a prominent bend in the Trinity River, is located eight minutes south of downtown Dallas. This convenient location enables Audubon to focus on serving schoolchildren and provides unique, nature-based experiences. The land, formerly an illegal dump site, has been reclaimed by the City of Dallas and will demonstrate how a municipal liability can be transformed into a major asset.
The Trinity River Audubon Center is the flagship Center for Audubon’s education and conservation initiatives in Texas. Education programs address the need for students to improve and strengthen their science and critical thinking skills while aligning with the TEKS state-mandated curriculum.
The Center, designed by architect Antoine Predock, 2006 AIA Gold Medalist, provides direct access to a myriad of opportunities for the citizens of Dallas: nature viewing, hiking, picnicking.
In the Dallas Trails Master Plan, the numerous citywide trail systems are designed to connect to the Trinity River Audubon Center, providing a premier trail destination location. Once this happens, individuals and families from all over the Metroplex may ride, blade, run, or walk to the Center.
Visitors have the opportunity to explore hands-on exhibits; miles of nature viewing trails; the Children’s Discovery Garden; and sustainable building features including a vegetated roof, rainwater collection system, energy efficient systems, and recycled materials. The Trinity River Audubon Center will be the first LEED-certified building constructed by the City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department. |
